HC releases mother who killed 2 daughters due to social stigma

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday released a woman who killed her two tender-aged daughters after her relatives and society allegedly called her an unfortunate woman for begetting only the girl child.

Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy passed the orders while partly allowing a criminal appeal by V Sathiya of Vellore district. The appellant sought direction to set aside the order of a trial court dated September 27, 2019, sentencing her to three years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs.1,000.

While passing the orders, the judge held that this is a sad case that stands testimony to the gender inequality prevailing in our society.

“Unfortunately, this occurrence happened in the year 2016 and we, as a society, have not corrected ourselves, in spite of such a long period. It is a matter of great pain that the appellant/accused, being the mother, should feel ashamed for giving birth to female children and even would attempt to commit suicide and to kill the children,” the judge held.

The judge instead of punishing the accused, released her on the ground that she assured the court that she will take care of her two other daughters. The accused appeared before the judge and assured that she now realised that the female children are as good as male children and has courage to face the society or the family members.

Recording the appellant’s submissions, the judge released the appellant on probation of good conduct on the condition that she will appear before the additional district and sessions judge, fast track court, Vellore and execute a bond for good behavior undertaking that she will not indulge in any offense whatsoever for a period of two years. “She should assure that she will educate both the female children minimum up to under-graduate level and that she will bring them in the best possible manner without placing any fetters merely because they are girl children,” the judge noted.

The court also wanted to re-affirm the undertaking before the additional district and sessions judge every two years.

The case is that since the woman had three girl children, she administered poison to her three-year-old child and one and half year old child. She had also consumed the poison. While the kids died, the mother/accused was safeguarded. This led the police to file a case against the mother.